KB Ball Heel Slip Lead - 6mm PPM

Price: £7.00 | Handmade in Yorkshire | Personalisation available

Thirty years ago I designed this lead. I've been making it ever since.

Not because it looks good - though it does - but because it works. Every time. Without argument.

This is the lead I use every single day with my own dogs. Every training session, every demo, every morning in the field. If you asked me to pick one item out of everything we make, the standard heel slip lead is it. It's my absolute go-to.

The Kirkbourne Ball Heel Slip Lead does one job: it puts you and your dog exactly where you're both supposed to be. There's no wriggle room in it. No cheating. If the heel position is wrong, you'll both know it. That's the point.

I've had plenty of people copy it over the years. They see it at demonstrations, they clock it on the field, and off they go. Fine. But they're not the original. This is. We've been making these in our Yorkshire workshop - by hand, one at a time - longer than most of those versions have existed.

It's not a trainer. I want to be clear about that. The lead doesn't do the work for you. What it does is make sure you do the work. It keeps the communication honest. No slack to hide behind. If you use it right, your dog's in the right place. If you don't, it'll tell you. That feedback is the whole point of it.

I'll be straight with you - my go-to is the standard 6mm. Always will be. But this one is Bryony's lead of choice. The ball at the end sits differently in the hand - more comfortable, more relaxed to hold. If that sounds like you, this is your lead.

Built to last - materials:

• Highest quality marine-grade ring
• Rope is the best quality braided PPM - no stretch (ensuring stoppers remain in place), washable, fast drying, stain resistant and non-toxic
• No metal clips holding the rope together - no sharp edges, no nasty surprises. A lot of leads out there have both. Ours don't
• One more thing - you've got a choice on this lead between a ring or a thimble where the slip sits. No real difference in how the lead works. I'd go with the ring personally - but if you prefer the thimble, we make sure it's fully covered so there's no chance of it rubbing on your dog's neck. Just let us know which you'd like when you order.

These aren't leads knocked together from whatever's cheap. Every material is chosen because it does the job properly, for as long as you need it to.

The details:

• Length: Standard 60cm - or 70cm (+£0.50) for smaller breeds or taller people. They're short by design. The length is the mechanism
• Width: 6mm
• End: Ball grip - sits in the palm rather than looping round the hand
• Handmade: Every single one. In Yorkshire. By us. The length may vary by a centimetre here and there - depends how well the tape measure's behaving that day
• Colours: 40+ colourways. There's one for everyone
• Personalisation: Add a name, word or phrase - up to 20 characters (+£5). Make it yours

A word of warning: if you're not sure how to use a heel slip lead correctly, ask before you use it. It's a training aid, not a gadget. Used right, it's brilliant. Used wrong, it's just rope. Drop us a message and we'll point you in the right direction.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "They offer a wide range of leads and collars... shipped the same day and arrived quickly. Just what I needed and will definitely buy again." - Clare Smith (Google Review)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Well made, great service... will be ordering more." - Tracey Walker (Google Review)

All leads are handmade to order in our Yorkshire workshop. For custom sizes or anything unusual, just get in touch - we'll sort it.